Ekholm, Sweden end Belarus’ story

22 May 2014 | Alan Ilijic

All the pairings of the semifinals are known as the last competitor fight their way to the Saturday's game. Harder than expected and in a really close and tight match Sweden manage to break Belarus and end their story on home soil.

It was great while it was going on - Belarus ended their apperance at the IIHF WC in their own country with a loss against Sweden today. Even though they were a tough opponent and equal to Sweden the second part of the game, they were left a goal shy of at least going for the overtime.

Mattias Ekholm redeems his actions and scores the game-winner lifting Sweden to the semifinals. At 53:58 he got the puck at the blue line, went the whole way and for the wrap around beating Kevin Lalande with a backhander.

Thus he redeemed his actions from a minute before when he lost the puck in the defensive zone and saw Alexei Kalyuzhny go for a one-on-one with Nilssen. He had to hook him before the net and the referee signalled for the penalty shot. Luckily for him, Kalyuzhny couldn't beat Nilsson.

Nicklas Danielsson and Gustav Nyquist added powerplay tallies for Sweden, while Geoff Platt and Alexei Yefimenko scored for Belarus. Belarus were even ahead following Yefimenko's score, but the joy lasted for three minutes.

Sweden opened the game in an explosive manner - Lundqvist and Nyquist saw their shots ricochete out, the first off the post and the latter of the netminder.

Belarus fight back on their first powerplay, but Sergei Kostitsyn couldn't put the puck in from close range, twice.

Danielsson brings about the opener at 13:41 when he picked up the rebound before the empty net while Lalande couldn't retrieve and chipped it in.

Geoff Platt ties the score at 25:39 on the assist from Alexei Kalyuzhny who slid the puck to the other edge of the slot on the breakaway. Soon after the Swedes hit the post past the halfway mark, at 34:14 Alexei Yefimenko sends the crowd into trance as Belarus take the lead after a scramble in front of Anders Nilssen.

Gustav Nyquist levells the score back while Alexander Kitarov was serving the penalty for hooking. At 37:27 he sniped a perfect slapper with Jimmie Ericsson perfectly screening Lalande who was left helpless.

Belarus got the wings in the final period, especially in the second part, but carried by the song from their crowd they had four dangerous opporunities by the start of the final frame. Sergei Kostitsyn alone had two, though the path to the back of Nilsson's net remained a mistery.

Joakim Lindstrom and Oscar Moller had two opportunities in the 46th minute, both times Moller was on the shot, only Lalande was ready for whatever was coming.

At the end Kevin Lalande, who had 22 saves, left the ice to bring the extra attacker but Sweden prevailed.

Semifinals will be played Saturday, while these are the pairings:

Czech Republic - Finland,
Russia - Sweden.